Hibiscus plant named ‘MINSYWHI07’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hibiscus  plant named ‘MINSYWHI07’ is disclosed, characterized by large flowers colored white with a large red eye and long, well-defined lighter colored red-purple stripes, and dark green foliage. Plants are well branched and compact. The new variety is a  Hibiscus , normally produced as an outdoor garden or container plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Hibiscus hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘MINSYWHI07’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new Hibiscus cultivar is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the inventor, Patrick Pineau. The objective of the breedingprogram was to produce big flowers with large eyes. The cross resultingin this new variety was made in July 2008.

The seed parent is an unnamed, unpatented Hibiscus seedling fromadvanced internal selection ‘#11154’. The pollen parent is theunpatented variety Hibiscus syriacus ‘Minrosa’ (U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 09/642,987, abandoned). The new variety wasidentified and selected as a potentially interesting selection inSeptember 2012. Selection was made at a nursery in La Menitre, Me. EtLoire, France. Date of first sale was Jun. 25, 2019, occurring in theUnited States. This sale was made directly by the inventor or one whoobtained the claimed invention directly or indirectly from the inventor.This sale and all public disclosures made between Jun. 25, 2019 and thefiling of this application fall within the exception allowed under102(b)(1).

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘MINSYWHI07’ was firstperformed in February 2013 in La Menitre, Me. Et Loire, France, by wedgegrafting. Subsequent propagation has shown that the unique features ofthis cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in 6 successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘MINSYWHI07’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘MINSYWHI07’ These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘MINSYWHI07’ as a new and distinct Hibiscuscultivar:

-   -   1. Well branched and compact.    -   2. White flower with a large red eye and well-defined long,        lighter red-purple stripes.    -   3. Large flowers.    -   4. Dark green foliage.

PARENT COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘MINSYWHI07’ are similar to plants of theseed parent variety in most horticultural characteristics, however,plants of the new cultivar ‘MINSYWHI07’ differ in the following;

-   -   1. The new variety has white flowers with large red colored eyes        and well-defined, long red stripes. The seed parent has white        flowers with bi-colored centers (white and red) with finer long        lighter red stripes.    -   2. The new variety has pink flower buds, while the seed parent        has white flower buds.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘MINSYWHI07’ are similar to plants of thepollen parent variety in most horticultural characteristics, however,plants of the new cultivar ‘MINSYWHI07’ differ in the following;

-   -   1. The new variety has white flowers with large red colored eyes        and well-defined, long, lighter red-purple stripes. The pollen        parent has pink flowers with red colored centers.    -   2. The new variety has petals which are undulate, but less        undulate than the pollen parent.    -   3. The new variety has darker and larger foliage than the pollen        parent.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘MINSYWHI07’ can be compared to the varietyHibiscus syriacus ‘Antong Two’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,547. Thesevarieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics however,‘MINSYWHI07’ differs in the following:

-   -   1. Flowers of the new variety have-large, red colored eyes with        long, well defined lighter colored red-purple stripes, while        this comparator's flowers have distinctively shaped red eyes,        with the blotch extending within the center of the individual        petals, forming a kind of star-shaped eye. Eye coloration of the        new variety is a single central blotch, which then extends as        distinctive stripes.    -   2. Flowers of the new variety have smaller eyes than flowers of        this comparator.    -   3. The new variety has darker green foliage than this        comparator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color atypical plant of ‘MINSYWHI07’ grown in a #3 pot, in Grand Haven, Mich.

FIG. 2 illustrates in full color a typical flower of ‘MINSYWHI07’.

Age of the plant photographed is approximately 3 years. The photographswere taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appeardifferent from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurateas possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart 2015, 6^(th) edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Thefollowing observations and measurements describe ‘MINSYWHI07’ plantsgrown in a poly-greenhouse in Grand Haven, Mich., under naturallighting. Measurements were taken in August 2017. The plants were 2years old in #3 containers. The growing temperature ranged fromapproximately −5° C. to 27° C. Measurements and numerical valuesrepresent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Hibiscus hybrid ‘MINSYWHI07’.

PROPAGATION

-   Time to initiate roots: 20 days at approximately 25° C.-   Root description: Fibrous, medium root thickness. Tan/brown in    color, not effectively measured with a color chart.-   Time to produce a rooted young plant: About 90 days at 25° C.

PLANT

-   Plant type: Perennial shrub.-   Age of plant described: Approximately 2 years old.-   Growth habit: Upright.-   Height: 63 cm.-   Spread: 56 cm.-   Growth rate: Good.-   Plant vigor: Good.-   Branching characteristics: Basal.-   Length of primary lateral branches: 46 cm.-   Quantity of lateral branches: 10.-   Characteristics of primary lateral branches:    -   -   Diameter.—8 mm.        -   Color.—New: RHS Green 138A. Woody: RHS Brown 200A.        -   Pubescence.—On new growth.-   Internode length: 4-6 cm.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, single.        -   Quantity.—Approximately 25 per branch.        -   Average length.—5.5 cm.        -   Average width.—4.75 cm.        -   Shape of blade.—Oblanceolate with 3 shallow lobes.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Oblique.        -   Margin.—Lobed with moderate incisions.        -   Texture of top surface.—Slightly rough, ribbed.        -   Texture of bottom surface.—Rough, distinct veins.        -   Pubescence.—None.        -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: RHS Green 137A. Young            foliage under side: RHS Green 143C. Mature foliage upper            side: RHS Green 137A. Mature foliage under side: RHS Green            143C.        -   Venation.—Type: Palmate. Venation color upper side: RHS            Green 137C. Venation color under side: RHS Green 145A.        -   Petiole.—Length: 3 cm. Diameter: 2 mm. Pubescence:            Pubescent, both sides. Color: RHS Green 143A, both sides.

FLOWER

-   Natural flowering season: Summer.-   Flower arrangement: Axillary, single rotate.-   Flower type: Rotate.-   Flowering habit: Whorl.-   Quantity of flowers per lateral stem: 6.-   Quantity of buds per lateral stem: 6.-   Quantity of flowers and buds per plant: About 50.-   Persistent or self-cleaning: Self-cleaning.-   Bud:    -   -   Shape.—Oval.        -   Length.—2.75 cm.        -   Diameter.—1.5 cm.        -   Color.—RHS Green 143B.-   Flower:    -   -   Diameter.—11 cm.        -   Depth.—5 cm.        -   Aspect.—Outward.        -   Shape.—Rotate.-   Petals:    -   -   Quantity.—5.        -   Appearance.—Delicate with slightly undulate edges.        -   Arrangement.—Whorled, slightly overlapping.        -   Length.—6.5 cm.        -   Width.—6 cm.        -   Shape.—Obovate.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Undulate with weak or no incision.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, soft.        -   Color.—When opening, upper surface: RHS Red-Purple 69D with            striations of Red-Purple 71B. When opening, lower surface:            RHS Red-Purple 69D with striations of Red-Purple 71B. Fully            opened, upper surface: RHS White N155B with an eye of Red            53B and striations of Red-Purple 61B and 61C lighter color            towards apex. Fully opened, lower surface: RHS White N155B            with streaks of Red-Purple 61C.-   Petaloids: None.-   Sepals:    -   -   Arrangement.—Radial.        -   Quantity.—5.        -   Length.—1.2 cm.        -   Width.—2 mm.        -   Shape.—Narrowly triangular.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Apex.—Narrowly acute.        -   Base.—Truncate.        -   Color, mature, both sides.—RHS Green 143A.        -   Texture.—Rough, both sides.-   Calyx:    -   -   Shape.—Funnelform.        -   Length.—2.25 cm.        -   Diameter.—1.5 cm.-   Epicalyx:    -   -   Quantity.—5.        -   Length.—4 mm.        -   Width.—2 mm.        -   Color, mature, both sides.—RHS Green 143A.-   Peduncles:    -   -   Length.—1.5 cm.        -   Diameter.—4 mm.        -   Angle.—15-45°.        -   Strength.—Good.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—RHS Green 143B.-   Pedicels: None.-   Fragrance: None.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens:    -   -   Number.—50.        -   Filament length.—2 mm.        -   Filament color.—RHS Green-White 157D.        -   Staminal column length.—Average 4 cm.-   Anthers:    -   -   Shape.—Fused.        -   Length.—2 mm.        -   Color.—RHS White 155A.        -   Pollen color.—RHS White 155A.        -   Pollen amount.—Some.-   Pistil:    -   -   Number.—1.        -   Length.—4.25 cm.        -   Style.—Length: 3.7 cm. Color: RHS White 155C.        -   Stigma.—Shape: Peltate. Color: RHS White 155A.        -   Ovary color.—RHS White 155C with light shading of Red-Purple            60B.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Seeds and fruits: None observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to    normal diseases and pests of Hibiscus have been observed.-   Garden performance: Good tolerance, performs well in humid    conditions.-   Temperature tolerance: Low temperature tolerance to at least USDA    zone 4, high temperature tolerance to at least 40° C.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hibiscus plantnamed ‘MINSYWHI07’ as herein illustrated and described.